The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth: Catechist Guide

Third Edition

Lesson Plan for Lesson 13

The Mission of the Catholic Church
Preparation and Supplies
• Study chapter 13, “The Mission of the Catholic Church,” in the handbook.
• For each group of three or four, gather Bibles, newsprint, and markers. Also gather a selection
of newspapers and magazines.
• Make copies of the handout “I Have a Mission” (Document #: TX003385), and cut apart the
sections along the dotted lines, so that each participant will have one section.

Pray It! (5 minutes)

Tell the participants that class will begin with a prayer that is known as the Church’s prayer, or more
commonly the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father. Direct them to turn to page 450 in the handbook. Lead
the class in the Sign of the Cross, and invite the young people to pray the prayer together.

Study It! (35 to 45 minutes, depending on your class length)

A. Founded by Christ
1. Direct the young people to form groups of three or four. Ask the groups to write a definition for the
word Church and then create a list of images that come to mind when they think of Church. Invite
the groups to share their definitions and images with the rest of the class.
2. Direct the participants to read the chapter introduction and the sections “Founded by Christ” and
“The Mission of the Church,” on pages 133–136 in the handbook. The content covers points 1
through 3 on the handout “Lesson 13 Summary.”
3. (Optional) Obtain a copy of your parish’s or diocesan mission statement. As a class, analyze and
reflect on that statement. Discuss how the statement helps to further the Church’s mission and how
it is lived out in the life of the parish.
B. Scriptural Images of the Church
1. Direct the young people to form groups of three or four, and give each group a selection of
newspapers and magazines. Ask them to think about people they know who are taking action to
strengthen the Body of Christ. Invite them to peruse the print materials and to identify people who
are carrying out Christ’s mission in the world. Ask each group to prepare a brief presentation to
share with the rest of the class, highlighting two or three of the most exemplary people they
discovered.

© 2015 by Saint Mary’s Press

Document #: TX005305
Lesson Plan for Lesson 13

2. Direct the participants to read the section “Scriptural Images of the Church,” on pages 136–139 in
the handbook. The content covers points 4 through 7 on the handout “Lesson 13 Summary”
(Document #: TX003384).
3. (Optional) Invite questions and observations on the content. You could also invite discussion on
the Reflect questions on page 138.
C. Marks of the Church
Direct the young people to read the section “Marks of the Church,” on pages 139–144 in the
handbook. The content covers points 8 through 12 on the handout “Lesson 13 Summary.”
Note: If you are running short on time, you may wish to just briefly summarize this section of the
handbook.

Live It! (10 to 15 minutes)

1. Direct the participants to form groups of three or four, and give each group a Bible, a sheet of
newsprint, and a marker. Assign each group one of the following images of the Church that contains
Scripture passages that refer to the image:
• The Church as the People of God (2 Cor 6:16, 1 Pt 2:9–10)
• The Church as the Body of Christ (1 Cor 3:16–17; 12:12–13,20,26; Gal 3:27–28)
• The Church as the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16–17, 2 Cor 6:16,
Eph 2:19–22, 1 Pt 2:5)
Explain the task as follows:
 Designate someone in your group to read aloud the Scripture passages on the image of the
Church that you have been assigned. Designate another person to be the group’s recorder.
 The reader then reads the Scripture passages.
 After the reading, the group is to identify the characteristics of its assigned scriptural image of
Church and have the recorder list those characteristics on newsprint. (In other words, if the
Church—meaning us—is the People of God [or Body of Christ, or Temple of the Holy
Spirit], what kinds of things does it do?)
 Each group is to then select one characteristic or action from its list and consider what it can
do to be Church in the coming weeks.
2. Ask each group to make a brief report to the rest of the class.
3. Share the following comments in your own words:
 The mystery is that the Church is at once both visible and spiritual, human and divine.
 Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the early Christians adopted some guiding images that help us to
better understand how the Church carries out her mission.
 The title People of God emphasizes the role of God the Father in calling a people to himself.
 The title Body of Christ emphasizes Christ’s mission and his role as the mediator between
God and humanity.
 The title Temple of the Holy Spirit emphasizes the important role of the Holy Spirit in
leading the Church to holiness.

© 2015 by Saint Mary’s Press Handout Page | 2

Document #: TX005305
Lesson Plan for Lesson 13

Closing Prayer (5 minutes)

Following any announcements, give each participant a copy of the handout “I Have a Mission”
(Document #: TX003385). Close by leading the class in praying together the prayer by Cardinal
Newman.

© 2015 by Saint Mary’s Press Handout Page | 3

Document #: TX005305